Dental Health: Having a healthy smile is completely obtainable—with just a little work and care! Good oral hygiene habits help prevent all kinds of problems in your teeth and gums. Here are 5 ways you can improve and maintain your oral health:
1. Pay Attention to Brushing
It is essential to brush your teeth at least two times a day for at least 2 minutes each time, as well as after eating foods with a lot of sugar. Use a good technique, brushing gently but thoroughly. Improper brushing can cause gum lesions (cuts and bruising of the gum line), so if you experience sores in the mouth, see your dentist. The brush should be used to gently drag dirt and build-up away from the tooth root. You have to clean both the inner and the outer sides of the teeth as well as the chewing surface to do a thorough job of brushing.
2. Do Not Forget About Interdental Cleaning
“Interdental” means the space between teeth. Brushing your teeth is essential, but there are corners and crevices of the mouth that the brush cannot reach (or can’t reach well). In the space between the teeth, food debris and plaque tend to accumulate and are harder to reach with the toothbrush. To eliminate tartar, choose an interdental cleaning product that suits your needs: floss or dental tape, interdental brushes and/or oral irrigator.
3. Complete Your Hygiene with a Mouthwash
The use of mouthwash helps to reach the most difficult areas of the mouth, completing the mouth cleaning. In addition, mouthwash is an additional defense against bacteria that lives on the teeth, gums and tongue.
4. Take Care of Your Diet
We are what we eat, and teeth are no exception. Although we may not give it much thought, maintaining a healthy diet also greatly influences mouth health. Choosing a nutritious and balanced diet that includes abundant fruits and vegetables and consume sugars in moderation to achieve healthy and strong teeth. In addition to ensuring a good supply of calcium through food, it is also advisable to moderate the consumption of excessively sweet foods, soft drinks, and foods that tend to stain teeth, such as coffee or wine.
5. Visit the Dentist
The dental team is your greatest ally in taking care of your oral health, do not forget to visit us! Please see us at least twice a year to ensure detection of possible oral health problems as soon as possible. Early treatment of cavities and decay is easier, less painful and cheaper with better results.
Consistent in oral health habits are an effective way to prevent disease, keep the mouth clean and the teeth happy. If you would like to discuss your oral health habits, we would love to see you here at Cobblestone Dental Care. Contact us today.
